Atlanta conference with Morocco is a symbol of successful diplomacy, business ties | The Hill

Updated October 13, 2015 11:25 AM EDT

Atlanta conference with Morocco is a symbol of successful diplomacy, business ties | The Hill

On October 13, 2015, The Hill’s Congress Blog published an op-ed by Morocco’s Ambassador to the US Rachad Bouhlal and US Representative Hank Johnson (D-GA) on the significance of the second US-Morocco Trade and Investment Forum:

Good friends make good business partners, and nothing could be truer of the U.S.’s – and Georgia’s – strong trade relationship with the Kingdom of Morocco.

The first Coca-Cola bottling machines introduced on Moroccan soil came from U.S. Navy ships in 1947 serving American soldiers stationed in Tangier after World War II. Morocco was a strong U.S. ally during that war and hosted the famed Casablanca Conference, where President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill agreed on the allied strategy to defeat the Axis forces. And as the U.S.’s post-war engagement with Morocco continued, the business spread across the country. Today, more than 70,000 jobs are associated with Coca Cola’s presence in Morocco. Moreover, the state of Georgia is the 7th biggest U.S. exporter to Morocco, averaging over $88 million in exports annually since 2010.

Other Georgia companies such as AGCO, Georgia-Pacific, and Newell Rubbermaid are also present in Morocco, through distribution channels that cover the country.

That’s why we are thrilled that Atlanta is hosting the second U.S.-Morocco Trade and Investment Forum today, Oct, 13, allowing business leaders and government officials from our two countries to meet, network and explore mutual trade and investment opportunities… [FULL STORY]